IAS Topper Jivani Kartik Nagjibhai UPSC Rank-8 (2020), Marksheet, IPS to IAS, Strategy & Biography
Jivani Kartik Nagjibhai UPSC Rank-8 (2020), Marksheet, IPS to IAS, Strategy & Biography Home › UPSC Toppers › Jivani Kartik Nagjibhai UPSC 2020 AIR-8 🏆 UPSC CSE 2020 — All India Rank 8 | IPS to IAS Jivani Kartik Nagjibhai UPSC Rank-8 (2020), Marksheet, IPS to IAS, Strategy & Biography 📅 Published: September 2021✍️ Guide2Success Editorial Team⏱️ 8 min read Jivani Kartik NagjibhaiKartik Jivani IASKartik Jivani UPSCUPSC 2020 AIR 8IPS to IASGujarat IAS Topper Jivani Kartik Nagjibhai secured All India Rank 8 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2020 — in his third attempt. What makes his story uniquely compelling is that he had already been selected for the Indian Police Service (IPS) in a previous attempt but chose to reattempt UPSC to fulfil his aspiration of becoming an IAS officer. An IIT Bombay graduate in Mechanical Engineering from Bhavnagar, Gujarat, Kartik’s journey from IPS trainee to IAS represents extraordinary ambition and clarity of purpose. In this complete biography, we cover his UPSC rank, marksheet, optional subject, strategy, and lesser-known facts. AIR 8 UPSC 2020 Rank 1040 Total Marks 3rd Attempt IPS Previous Selection IIT Bombay Bio / Wiki 📋 Jivani Kartik Nagjibhai — Quick Bio / Wiki Full Name Jivani Kartik Nagji Bhai Also Known As Kartik Jivani Profession IAS Officer (Civil Servant) Famous For All India Rank 8, UPSC CSE 2020; IPS to IAS journey Age at Qualifying 28 Years (as of 2021) Birthplace / Hometown Bhavnagar, Gujarat Nationality Indian Father Dr. Nagji Bhai — Pathologist, Bhavnagar College IIT Bombay, B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering Jivani Kartik Nagjibhai Optional Subject Geography UPSC Medium English Category General (Unreserved) Total Attempts 3rd Attempt Kartik Jivani IPS / IAS Previously selected for IPS (2018); reattempted and secured IAS in 2020 (AIR 8) Jivani Kartik Nagjibhai UPSC Rank AIR 8 (UPSC CSE 2020) Selected for Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Jivani Kartik Nagjibhai Biography — Early Life & Background Jivani Kartik Nagjibhai was born and raised in Bhavnagar, Gujarat — a coastal city known for its educational institutions and entrepreneurial spirit. His father, Dr. Nagji Bhai, is a pathologist in Bhavnagar — a professional family background that instilled in Kartik both academic discipline and a commitment to contributing to society. After graduating from IIT Bombay in Mechanical Engineering, Kartik did not take the conventional engineering career route. Instead, he channelled his engineering analytical skills into UPSC preparation — with a clear and singular goal of becoming an IAS officer. His perseverance is evident in the fact that even after being selected for the prestigious IPS, he chose to reattempt UPSC to fulfil his IAS aspiration. Kartik Jivani UPSC Education — IIT Bombay, Mechanical Engineering College: IIT Bombay (Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai) Degree: B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering — one of India’s most competitive engineering programmes UPSC Optional: Geography (not engineering — demonstrating that optional choice need not match academic background) Kartik Jivani IPS to IAS — The Journey Kartik Jivani’s UPSC journey is one of the most remarkable in the 2020 batch — specifically because he was already selected for the Indian Police Service (IPS) in 2018 before reattempting UPSC to achieve his IAS dream. Earlier UPSC Attempts: Qualified for the IPS in a previous attempt (2018). Chose to continue attempting UPSC to secure an IAS rank. UPSC 2020 (3rd Attempt): Achieved All India Rank 8 — Total: 1040 marks (858 written + 182 interview). Selected for the Indian Administrative Service. His ambition to be an IAS officer — rather than an IPS officer — was fully realised. Jivani Kartik Nagjibhai UPSC Marksheet — Score Breakdown Component Marks Remarks Written Test Total 858 All GS Papers + Essay + Both Optional Papers Personality Test (Interview) 182 Out of 275 🏆 Grand Total 1040 All India Rank 8 Jivani Kartik Nagjibhai UPSC Optional Subject — Geography Kartik chose Geography as his UPSC optional subject — a choice distinct from his Mechanical Engineering background. Geography is a popular optional among aspirants because of its visual, map-based nature and strong overlap with GS Paper I. His approach to Geography was particularly remarkable — he compressed his entire Geography optional notes into just 50 pages for efficient revision. Geography has a well-structured syllabus covering Physical Geography, Human Geography, Economic Geography, and India’s geography Strong overlap with GS Paper I (Physical and Human Geography) reduces extra preparation effort Map-based and diagram-heavy — rewards organised note-making and visual revision Kartik’s 50-page Geography notes exemplify the principle of concise, high-quality revision material Jivani Kartik Nagjibhai UPSC Strategy — Complete Preparation Approach Crisp Notes — Geography Compressed to 50 PagesCompiled his entire Geography optional into a 50-page concise notes document for rapid, efficient revision before the exam — a masterclass in note compression. 7–8 Revisions of Each SubjectRevised each subject 7 to 8 times across the preparation cycle — developing deep retention and confident recall in the exam. Consistent Prelims Performance — 10–15 Marks Above CutoffCleared the Prelims in every attempt by a margin of 10–15 marks above the cutoff — achieved through extensive previous year paper practice and elimination technique mastery. Keyword Highlighting in Standard BooksHighlighted key concepts and keywords in standard books (Laxmikanth, Spectrum) to enable rapid last-minute revision without rereading entire chapters. Extensive Answer Writing + Mock TestsPractised answer writing extensively through mock tests — improving both content quality and answer presentation, which directly contributed to his high written total of 858. Limited Sources, Deep MasteryFocused on a limited set of carefully chosen sources rather than reading widely — going deep into each source rather than skimming many. IPS Experience as an AssetHis prior selection for and training in the IPS gave him valuable governance and law-and-order knowledge, which helped him in both Mains GS answers and the personality test. Why Kartik Jivani Chose IAS Over IPS Despite qualifying for the IPS, Kartik Jivani felt that his aspirations were more aligned with the responsibilities and scope of the Indian Administrative Service. He believed IAS offers a broader platform to directly influence public policy and governance — something he









